It is probably no secret that Python is one of the most popular programming languages in the world. It is evident not only in the number of people wanting and trying to learn it but also from taking a single look at the current job market.
And it’s no surprise, really - with the number of places and situations in which Python can be used, its popularity is only natural. If you're just getting started and want to learn more about the journey of becoming a Python programmer in the first place, check out this guide on the best Python courses you can find on DataCamp.
One thing that keeps coming up in conversations about Python is the Python developer salary - how much do these people make? Well, if you’re interested in the topic, you’ve come to the right place!
Table of Contents
- 1. Understanding Python Programming Language
- 2. Main Types of Python Developers
- 2.1. Entry-Level Python Developers
- 2.2. Junior Python Developers
- 2.3. Senior Python Developers
- 3. The Payroll
- 3.1. Entry-Level Python Developer Salary
- 3.2. Junior Python Developer Salary
- 3.3. Senior Python Developer Salary
- 4. More Than a Salary?
- 5. Conclusions
Understanding Python Programming Language
To start things off, why people choose Python? Well, it is widely seen and accepted that Python is one of the easiest programming languages to learn, especially if you're just starting. While this explains its popularity, it shouldn’t be something that devalues its use - Python is interactive, portable and object-oriented.
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Moreover, Python is versatile: you can use it for web, software, game development which explains why there are so many Python developers and such differences in Python developer salary: each area can make a difference in how much does a Python programmer make.
But as it's said: easy to learn, difficult to master. That being said, you need to know how to master Python basics if you are already looking for a possible job with Python.
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Main Types of Python Developers
As in most other jobs, there are three main experience groups of Python developers - entry-level, junior and advanced. All of these groups have very different motivations, tasks, responsibilities and - ultimately - salaries.
This is why it’s important to talk about all of the groups before we start analyzing the Python developer salary. Once you get to know the three main groups, you’ll be able to see the reasons for their differences in pay. With that said, let’s jump into the very first group - entry-level Python programmers.
Entry-Level Python Developers
Same as most other jobs out there, the entry-level Python developers are people who have just entered the world of programming and are trying to find their place in it. Most commonly, these are two types of people:
- University graduates (or Junior or Senior year students) that have just received their diploma and are actively looking to start their career paths as Python developers. Alternatively, if we’re talking about Junior or Senior year students, they might be looking for an entry-level developer’s job to gain university credit - spend a certain amount of hours working (practicing their skills) in a real company without receiving any actual Python programmer salary.
- People who have no formal higher education in the field of Python development, but have taken online courses, tutors or have learned Python in any other way and want to try their luck in scoring a programmer’s job. These people try to get an entry-level job so that they could practice what they have learned and show their employers that formal higher education isn’t necessary to earn a great entry-level Python developer salary.
As you can see, a formal education is not necessary to master the art of Python. In fact, there are simpler ways to do it. Take online learning platforms, for example – many of them, like DataCamp, specialize in data science and help prepare the future experts in the field.
Junior Python Developers
Junior developers are those people who already have some (maybe 1-3 years - it varies) experience in the field of Python programming. They have, more or less, already decided that this is the career path for them - all that’s left to do now is to prove to both themselves and their employers that they are motivated to learn and keep on growing. Junior Python developers are commonly given some of the more experimental tasks within a company - these tasks are designed to both help the person improve his or her development skills, and to see how well he or she know the topic.
The junior Python developer salary is a tricky topic since it varies quite a lot. You would think that it would represent the perfect average of a Python programmer salary, but that’s rarely the case (not saying that it’s impossible, though!).
Senior Python Developers
The third group - senior Python developers - are among the most respected veterans of the industry. Senior programmers have dedicated their lives to the world of computer programming - and it shows, both in their work etiquette and their earning.
Needless to say, senior programmers earn the most money out of all three of these groups. These Python developer salaries are often referenced when people talk about just how much can a programmer earns. But keep in mind - that’s only the most experienced developers!
It’s easy to talk about money, but we have to keep in mind the amount (and quality!) of work that senior developers are tasked with. In addition to them having to deal with the most difficult of tasks, they are also often encouraged and assigned to teach industry newcomers all of the tropes. Having the biggest responsibilities in the team, it makes sense that their Python developer salary would represent it!
The Payroll
Now that you’re familiar with all of the three main groups of Python developers, let's talk about what are the payments for each of them.
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Entry-Level Python Developer Salary
Entry-level (beginner) developers often have to work for either a small amount of money or even free of charge (if they are trying to get university credits). With that said, let’s take a look at what a “small amount of money” looks like in the world of Python development.
Ziprecruiter.com estimates that an entry-level Python programmer salary should range somewhere around the $80,270 annual mark (that’s $6689 per month). Talk about a small amount of money, huh?
If there is one thing that's for sure, it is that qualified programmers and developers are crucially needed in the current job market - these figures represent that fact perfectly.
Junior Python Developer Salary
The junior group is the middle one between entry-level and senior developers. Since there are no objectively defined boundaries that would separate the groups, there’s always an imbalance - at one point, the junior group could consist of a majority of people who have just transitioned there from the entry-level group. At another point, it might be the opposite - the vast majority could be the almost-senior level developers. This is why the junior Python programmer salary tends to fluctuate quite a lot.
With that said, however, let’s take a look at what ZipRecruiter estimates the junior wage to be.
What's this? The junior Python programmer salary comes out to be around $77,834 annually ($6480 monthly), which is lower than entry-level Python programmer salary! Even though that’s a great salary, it's weird that the average is lower. There could be some explanation: either some juniors are underpaid, or there was an error in counting data.
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Senior Python Developer Salary
ZipRecruiter estimates that a senior Python programmer salary should range somewhere around $126,751 ($10,563 per month). With this number in mind, it does kind of make sense why people both hype up and want to learn Python programming - the salary is truly something to dream for!
However, do remember - with a great salary, comes great responsibility. It might seem like that’s a huge amount of money for someone working at the computer, but the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. Senior Python developers spend the bigger portions of their life learning everything there is to know about Python - it would only make sense that their salaries represent that.
More Than a Salary?
Many people, when they talk about the Python developer job, only mention the salary. This is a flawed way of viewing things, however. One should always keep in mind that a great entry-level Python developer salary isn't the only thing that makes up a job!
Python developers often work in awesome greenfield project-based companies (this is especially true for beginner and junior developers). This type of work is awesome because it offers a lot of room for creativity. You can bring forward your ideas, discuss various strategies and learn & grow in a creative team-based environment.
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Furthermore, these types of jobs offer developers an opportunity to participate in various conferences, seminars, have paid holidays, birthday parties, etc. You can feel like you’re valued and are not just another cog in an ever-churning corporate machine.
So, if you are thinking about starting a Python developer’s career, it might be good to keep in mind the various other benefits, not only Python developer salary, that such a job can offer!
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Conclusions
As stated in the very beginning, Python is an extremely popular programming language to learn. Its popularity is only growing further as the years go by. Being so popular, it is only natural that the job market will see a lot of competition - many developers with different skill levels compete to get the best job positions possible and it can differ on how much does a Python programmer make.
On the flip side, companies need great and professional developers now more than ever before. This, in turn, leads to a competitive salary, awesome job benefits, and a perfect working and learning environment. If you want to find the best tools for you to start working towards becoming a Python pro, don't forget to read our guide to the best Python programming courses on DataCamp.
With all of that said, whether you’re planning to start your journey towards Python programming or you’ve simply stumbled here out of curiosity, then perhaps this guide has given you that little bit of extra motivation that you needed. Whatever the case might be, best of luck!
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